NEW DELHI : The Indian Premier League may be cricket’s financial powerhouse but still lags behind rivals in player welfare and rights, according to a new assessment by the World Cricketers’ Association.
The WCA rankings released on Thursday placed the IPL third among 10 global leagues with a score of 62.6, behind England’s The Hundred (75.2) and South Africa’s SA20 (68).
While the IPL scored highly for average pay and reliability of payments, it fell short in areas such as the “right to organise” and dispute resolution mechanisms.
WCA Chief Executive Tom Moffat said the rapid growth of domestic franchise leagues had benefited the sport but stressed the need for stronger player protections.
“The growth of the domestic leagues landscape has been overwhelmingly positive for our sport, but it has the potential to be even better,” he said. “We want all sanctioned leagues to be successful, and to provide fair protections and standards for people within them.”
The IPL has faced criticism in recent months, including over the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman by Kolkata Knight Riders amid regional tensions, as well as the policy of the Board of Control for Cricket in India restricting contracted male players from participating in overseas franchise leagues.
Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Indian board, was not immediately available for comment.
The 19th edition of the IPL begins on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad.
